6 players to watch during the Patriots’ second open OTA

Filed under:

New England will return to the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium on Tuesday for its second OTA session.

The New England Patriots will return to the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium on Tuesday for their sixth day of organized team activities. For the second time this spring, they will not be alone: the media will be allowed to attend the session and speak to head coach Bill Belichick and a select group of players.

For the Patriots, this practice will only be one of eight OTAs (plus three days of minicamp and other offseason workouts). For us covering the team, however, it will be just the second opportunity to get a live look at the team.

So, with that said, here is who will be worth keeping a particularly close eye on.

QB Mac Jones. If there is a quarterback competition in New England, the Patriots have so far done their best to hide. During the first open OTA last Wednesday, after all, Jones took all of the starter-level reps and appears to clearly be the No. 1 option on the team. It is highly likely that Tuesday will be more of the same, but Jones is still in the spotlight. Frankly, he always is.

RB Ty Montgomery. If last Wednesday is any indication, Ty Montgomery is the frontrunner to serve as New England's receiving back in 2023. Was this just a one-practice snapshot, though, or an accurate representation of his role in the Bill O’Brien-led offense? We might get more clues on Tuesday.

WR Tyquan Thornton. Thornton was the most active wide receiver on the field during last week's open session. As is the case with Montgomery, the question is whether or not that was due to circumstance (i.e. that day's practice script) or a first sign of a significant Year 2 jump. Tuesday's practice will not bring us much closer to an answer, but it might provide additional fuel for the hype train.

TE Mike Gesicki. Gesicki is listed as a tight end on the Patriots roster, but the team was treating him more like a wide receiver last week. Will this week be more of the same, or will Gesicki see more action alongside the other tight ends?

LB Marte Mapu. Donning a red non-contact jersey — which is somewhat redundant given that contact is not allowed during offseason workouts in the first place — Mapu saw considerable action as an off-the-ball linebacker alongside Ja’Whaun Bentley. His role and workload coming off a pectoral injury will both be worth charting.

CB Christian Gonzalez. The Patriots’ first-round draft pick was not spotted during last week's practice, but photos posted by the team on Monday showed that he was present for that day's session (and not in one of those red jerseys indicating injury). The expectation is that he will be on the field on Tuesday as well, which will give reporters a first opportunity to watch Gonzalez in person — from his movement and ball skills to his role within the defense.

CB Jonathan Jones. Gonzalez's might will have a trickle-down effect on the rest of the Patriots’ cornerback group, especially its most senior member: Jonathan Jones played on the perimeter all of last year, but might be a candidate to move back into the slot if the team goes with a Gonzalez-Jack Jones combo outside. Will Tuesday give us any clues? We will find out soon enough.

DB Jalen Mills. After serving as a starting outside cornerback the last two seasons, Mills appears to be making the move to safety this year. He was, at the least, part of the Patriots’ safety group on Wednesday. This week's session might give us more hints as to the team's intentions with him.

K Chad Ryland. The Patriots’ rookie kicker, who appears to have the inside track for a roster spot over veteran Nick Folk due to his status as a fourth-round draft pick, looked good last week. Will this week be more of the same?

P Bryce Baringer & P Corliss Waitman. The Patriots added two punters this offseason, and both looked promising last Wednesday. Sixth-round draft pick Baringer still looks like the favorite to earn the job, but it seems the similarly big-legged Waitman will not go down without a fight. This has the makings of a fun competition, at least if the only open practice so far is to be believed.

As always, we will have you covered on all things Patriots today — from Bill Belichick's press conference at 11 a.m. ET, to practice, to post-practice media availability. Make sure to revisit Pats Pulpit regularly.